Miss Money
by Lightning Blade
Summary: If there's no money, there's no good life. Xing Xing has learned that the hard way. Being the only child left in her family, she knows she has to earn income for her and her mother to survive. One day, her best friend suggested a very awful idea... (Prequel to Boyish Dreams)
1. Prologue

**Hi there! I suddenly have the idea to write this out and I wouldn't be satisfied till I write this out so here it is! Ta-da! It's something like a prequel to Boyish Dreams since it's about the past of Mei Ling's Mom. **

**So far, I have no plans to add any Second Life characters, but my plans might change. Anyway, characters such as Xiao Lan and Gui haven't been born in the setting of this story yet. **

**Just want to give a friendly warning, this story may contain violence and mature themes, so please avoid reading this story if it makes you uncomfortable. And please, never take drugs.**

**And oh, a very Happy Belated Mothers' Day to mothers all around the world! :D Happy reading!**

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**Prologue**

If I were born a boy, my life wouldn't be like _this_.

This isn't my _home_. A home is a place where you can be happy and carefree, a pleasant haven that I wouldn't mind coming to every time I'm off from my work. There wouldn't be bits and pieces of tables and chairs scattered around in the house, cupboards ripped off like they were robbed, and there she was, lying on the cold floor, crying like a little child.

Home sweet home? As bitter as hard cruel life. I tied up my annoyingly-long hair.

"Was it third brother again?" I grabbed the old broom to clean the mess, "What'd I say, Mom? Didn't I tell you not to open the door?"

I wanted to see her face but I couldn't. Mom was still motionless on the floor, her back facing me.

"Your brother said he's hungry. I wanted to cook for him…"

I slammed my broom against the battered table. The King Kong impact that I made broke the poor table into two. Since I got the talent of smashing things, I would have gone for Kung-Fu lessons. If I had the money.

If we had money, we wouldn't have come to _this_.

My family wouldn't be like _this_. I held back my tears by biting on my lip.

"How could you believe him, Mom? That good-for-nothing man just wants your money! My money, Mom! I've worked so hard and I've saved for you to spend on good food and nice things that you like to buy, Mom! And you've lost all the money to him? I should have given all my money to charity! At least they wouldn't spend it on drugs!"

"I-I-I'm sorry, Ah Xing... I'm a useless mother… I didn't know how to teach my sons…"

I was weak towards my mom's sobbing sounds. If it wasn't for her, I would have done what my other three brothers do – leave this sad place and never come back.

_Correction._ One of them did come home quite often. Asking for money to satisfy his addiction was his greatest forte. And he used to be the pride of our family, the top scorer in his school. Thanks to his dumb friends at XXX University, he had learned how to smoke from them. When he got bored of cigarettes and turned to something more 'exciting', it was already over for him.

My other two brothers weren't better off.

First brother studied Law in Canada and pretended that we never existed. The second one took Medicine and Surgery in Dhaka but he jumped off from his hostel like a _real_ superhero.

I made a wild guess that the exams were too stressful for him. However, that was just a speculation. He never wrote any suicide note so we were left clueless to know why he had done it.

I should find a high place to jump too. I was so stressed and I so wanted out of my sickening life.

I stared at my mother's seemingly-dead body. I couldn't end my life.

I couldn't leave her alone to face this world.

I bent down and placed a reassuring hand on her head.

"It's not your fault, Mom," I touched her curly greying hair, "Those idiots just made bad decisions in life."

When I went to touch Mom's cheek, she screamed out aloud and cupped her cheek in agony.

I immediately grabbed Mom's hand to look at what she was hiding– dark large bruises that were painful even to my eyes.

"Mom!" I shouted, feeling hot and that intense heat was killing me inside, "Did that asshole do this to you?"

Mom didn't say anything. All she could was crying. And all I could do was to see her crying.

I mustn't cry. Even if I wanted to cry, I mustn't do it in front of Mom.

I must be strong.

O O O

"Hey pretty. Did you cry last night? You look awfully-awful."

I gave a sexy killer stare at that tomboy, "How'd you know? Did you stalk me last night?"

She pulled at the cotton shirt that I was sewing on and rip it off, "Yes, I did! Be afraid! Be very afraid!"

"Get back to work, girls! I didn't hire you to talk!"

"Come on, big boss!" She shouted back, "We're not machines for God's sake! We need some relaxation! Tell _pa_ to get some androids since he's so loaded!"

My best friend had the guts to shout at our supervisor. She wouldn't have such a nerve if she wasn't the daughter of the small clothes-manufacturing company. Princess was her name. Nope, it wasn't nickname. Her birth name was 'Gong Zhu'. Her parents must have been upset that she turned up to be more like a 'prince charming'.

Indeed, I could her 'prince charming'. Unlike my brothers, I never had the chance to enter a university. If it wasn't for Gong Zhu, I would have been jobless.

Our supervisor lamented, "Gong Zhu-"

"Call me that stupid name again and I'm going to cut your pay!"

That poor worker stitched up his lips and ran off. God bless me that she was also our payroll manager. God bless my best friend for giving me a generous bonus for that year.

And my entire bonus went down the drain just like that.

I gripped the fabric tight with every bit of my strength. If I could, I wanted to turn this shirt into money. Lots of money till I needed more than ten fingers to count it.

If I could. But I couldn't. I'm just a human. A mere mortal.

"Why are you looking like that? You're scaring me, baby!"

Being the best of my best friends, she was the first one to know about my problems. That time, it was no exception.

"Hmm…" She was rubbing her chin like a manly beard was sticking out from it, "I can give you some of my savings…"

"Gong Zhu! How can I take your money? Didn't you say you want to start your own business in China? Or were you just bluffing?"

Gong Zhu had always dreamed of owning a business that wasn't related to her father's. What kind of business, she never told me. She wanted to surprise me but by the time she got her dream realized, I would have already been a grandmother.

"Aww, you remember my dream? That's so sweet of you, Xing Xing!" She placed a chair next to me and slammed her butt against it.

"But it'll be better if you have amnesia," Gong Zhu leaned closer towards me, pouting her thick lips, "You would have taken my offer if you have forgotten what I've said."

"You wish! Since it's my own problem, I'll settle it on my own. I'll try getting a part-time job but you know I'm uneducated…"

I sighed at the torn shirt in my coarse hands, "And nobody wants to hire uneducated people."

"But you're so pretty, Xing Xing. Red Light definitely wants you to work for them."

"Red Light? Isn't that a gaming company? Why would they hire me? I don't know anything about Information Technology!" I added, so embarrassed, "Or technology for that matter."

"You don't need to know anything! It's easy! You just have to know what's virtual love-making!" She laughed.

Bewildered at what my best friend had just uttered, I rushed out at her, hands holding out to strangle her neck, "I'm going to kill you!"

We ended up running in circles in the production room. It was something to be thankful for that no one else was around to do overtime with us. Or else, our _dearest_ colleagues would have thought that we were crazy freaks running a circus show.

"You said it yourself! You're _uneducated_! So what else can you do to help your Ma? If you got the looks, it's silly not to use them! You'll be paid more than what you'll get here! I want to give you more increments but you see, my Pa's business isn't doing so well lately unless I burn down that _cheap_ factory across the road…"

Gong Zhu came to a stop and panted, "Wait…. Wait… I need some air…"

My friend was right. She had done more than enough to help me. Moreover, I was running out of my options.

And it was just a virtual game. It wasn't real so I wasn't actually selling my body.

And for my mom. My only family.

That's the only comfort I needed.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**\- Xing Xing: Star Star in Mandarin**

**\- Gong Zhu: Princess**

***Our prayers for the victims of the Korean ferry tragedy.***


	2. Chapter 1 - Milestone

**Hi! I'm not sure whether anyone is still interested to follow this story but I just write this anyway! Hope you'll like this and it's about Mei Ling's Mom. **

**It's going to be the end of the year and I wish everyone a Happy Christmas and New Year in advance! So many bad things had happened this year (the airplane tragedies and Robin Williams's passing) and I do hope that next year will be a better year. What's your new year resolutions? I wanted to lose weight but I never do it. I love to eat!**

**Love yourself for who you are and be proud! Spread the love to others around and be happy. Be happy. That's my new year resolution. :)**

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Chapter 1 - Milestone

Money can bring _happiness_.

However, when I saw those magical digits on my bank statement, I wasn't _happy_.

Was I sad?

Angry?

Disgusted?

I wasn't very sure.

All I wanted was to make money to feed my family and myself. It's all about the survival of the fittest. All animals do it to make babies. I'm just doing it, well, _virtually_ for the money. We're all the same!

I turned off my phone and tossed it away. I couldn't slam it against the desk. Breaking it would cost me a fortune. I really couldn't afford another mobile phone right now.

"My dear Xing Xing! Why are you're looking so mad? Who's that asshole? Tell me and I'll teach him a lesson for ya!"

I glanced up at the policeman standing high in front of me. His language somewhat didn't suit his dark noble uniform. He's tall but skinny, dashing but dark. No one's perfect but he's never my cup of tea.

"Why are you here? Where's Gong Zhu?"

He scratched his neck clumsily, smiling gleefully. One of his bad habits.

"My sister's taking care of our cat-"

"You're really _honest_, aren't you? Her cat died a few days ago!" I got up from the comfy chair and grabbed my purse, "If she's not coming, I'm going out."

All the while I was moving to the counter to pay for my drink, he was chattering all the way like no one's business. Unfortunately, his voice was very loud too. Was he trying to embarrass me? For the sake of protecting his good reputation as a public servant, I was trying very, very hard to ignore him.

"W-w-wait! Xing Xing, I didn't know that you knew! If I knew that she had told you, I wouldn't have lied to you! It's a bad news and I wouldn't want to make you sad!"

I started to feel beads of sweat rolling on my cheeks. It's so hot! _Why isn't the bloody air-conditioner working?_

With too much difficulty, I opened my small purse and that guy just kept talking, "Xing Xing, I'm so sorry! Can you speak to me? Don't ignore me!"

"Can you let me pay the tab first?" I yelled at him.

He turned silent. He paused, staring down at me with those startled hazel eyes before quickly reaching for his pocket.

"Don't take the coins out! Let me pay for you!"

"Can't I even afford a cup of tea? Wei! I told you not to pay for me, Dong Hai! Take back your money! I'm not that desperate!"

I snatched the cash from the lady cashier and slammed it against the counter. She looked puzzled and slightly afraid. For such a small café and a cheap drink, I must have caused quite a huge fuss there.

"Did I say that you're desperate? It's a gentleman's obligation to pay for the woman and I'm a _nice_ gentleman!" Dong Hai puffed up his own chest.

"Since you're such a _nice_ gentleman, why don't you pay for all the women here?"

I knew I was being too loud. I suddenly felt sorry for him.

"Are all our food and drinks on you? Thanks!"

"That's so sweet of you! We're going to help ourselves then!"

"Thank you very much, dear!"

"Huh? What's happening?" He looked around nervously. _What had he eaten to have contributed to his slow mind? Terrible._

I placed my coins on the counter and hurriedly left the place. I was walking fast along the pathway, feeling hot sweat all over my face. I wouldn't want to be chased by that maniac and I wasn't going to turn back.

"MY DEAR XING XING! YOU KNOW I LIKE YOU! WHY ARE YOU REJECTING ME?"

I stopped in my path. I shouldn't have stopped but I did it.

I felt bad. I felt so horrible about myself. But I felt it's the best for him.

He wouldn't want to marry a bad woman like me.

When he was already in front of me, I mustered all my courage to face him. I looked at him in the eye and clinched my lips tight.

"I…" He was stifling an embarrassed smile, "I really like you. I'd heard some stories from Gong Zhu, about your mother and brother and your hardships. But it's going to be okay, Xing Xing."

He held my hands and squeezed them in his. I was staring hard at him.

"I can provide for your family. I can take care of you. I may not earn much now but if I work really hard to get promoted fast-"

"Did you pay for all the women in the café?"

"What?"

"I said," I swallowed, "Did you pay for their food and drinks?"

Dong Hai laughed like an innocent child, "I'm sorry I can't, haha. I'm carrying only fifty dollars-"

"You don't say sorry to me. You should say sorry to yourself. How could you even think of taking care of me and my family if you can't even pay for some cheap drinks?"

His expression changed. When he started to frown, I turned my face away. I couldn't bear to face the bitterness.

"My dear Xing Xing, I promise that I'm going to do better for our future-"

"I want to marry a freaking rich man!" I let go of his hands, "Not a good-for-nothing penniless cop!"

I walked away and I never looked back. He never came for me.

I guessed he had given up for good.

O O O

I glared at the clock on the wall. That dirty old man was always punctual. _Why is he late this time? _

_Stupid men_. I sighed and plopped against the cold luxurious bed. I stared at the beautiful pink ceiling, counting the number of cheerful flowers carved on the stone.

I couldn't stop thinking about Dong Hai._ Stupid me._

_Have I been too harsh on him? _

I held a deep breath and let it all out. I hoped that the pain in his heart would be gone too.

I hoped that he would forget about me.

"Good evening. Miss Money, I presume?"

I immediately sat up on my bed at that unfamiliar voice. Did the automatic door open? How could I have not realised it?

I turned to that new presence in the room. He was a handsome young man, unsmiling. His eyes were so cold and piercing.

That man reminded me of a broken doll that I used to love so much. My useless brother had sold it to a recycle centre for some filthy coins.

"Who are you? Where's Mr. Bai?" I asked.

"Pleased to meet you. My father's currently away so he instructed me to accompany you."

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**Author's Note: **

**\- Dong Hai: Eastern Sea (One of Super Junior members' name is Dong Hai and I really like his name). :)**

**\- Milestone: I wrote this chapter while listening to BoA's Milestone. It's a pleasant song and I like it. Check it out! **


	3. Chapter 2 - Neon

**Hi there! It's finally the middle of January 2015. I hope that everyone is doing well.**

**The third airplane tragedy that happened recently made me realise that life is uncertain. Let's live our live to the fullest and spend more time with our loved ones.**

**Our prayers to the victims and their families and loved ones...**

**This story has turned out differently from how I planned it initially but I love how it turned out. It's written more with feelings. Hope you'll like the chapter all the same.**

**Karaoke sessions with my friend, Xav have given me some inspirations to write this chapter out. Special thanks to her and thanks to everyone who reads and reviews this story.**

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Chapter 2 - Neon

It was a night that I would never forget.

I wouldn't forget how bored to hell I was!

"Can't we do something else? This is boring!"

"You said I'm free to choose. This is what I want to do."

That winged man didn't even look at me. He continued slashing those black balls that were floating in the cloudy air with his large sword. I didn't know what those orbs are. They didn't even have eyes. What a stupid mini-game for a perverted world.

I threw my useless stick onto the snowy ground and huddled under my cloak. There I was shivering like a drenched rat but that heartless freak was fighting on like I didn't exist!

I glared up at him and he'd already started to get blood and bruises on his face. I didn't even bother to heal him. Why should I? In the first place, I didn't sign up for this. I wasn't given a choice to choose my role. Just because he was my _customer _and he got to select my job for me?

Who the hell he thinks he _is_?

I stood up and stamped against the soft snow.

I inhaled deeply.

I couldn't stand it anymore.

This place is chilling me to the bones!

"How long are you going to do _this_?" I bit my nether lip.

"How long are you going to complain? Yargh!" He sent a spongy ball flying into the dark sky, "Please feel free to leave if you aren't happy!"

"You think I don't want to leave? If it wasn't for the fact that that old pervert paid me, I wouldn't be _here_! I'm not even paid to do this!"

Whatever he was doing, he stopped. He looked down at me with a cold aquamarine eye. I couldn't see the other eye that was hidden by his long bang of silver hair.

"My father paid you for pleasure. Are you going to give me the same kind of pleasure?"

His question made me look away. I felt guilty. Disgusted. I was making myself look cheap.

But I decided to put up a brave front. I had a purpose for doing this.

I couldn't give up now.

"If that's what you want me to do, can I say no?" I stared back at him, hard, "You're paying and I need the money."

"Money? Is money all that you need?" His piercing eye never wavered.

He spoke like it was _easy_. I snorted and brushed the snow off my hair and face. No matter how low and dirty I could be, I'd always wanted to lookgood_._

Being an uneducated and penniless woman, youth was my only saving grace.

"I'm not called 'Miss Money' for nothing. If I have tons of money, I don't need anything else."

"Worthless girl."

I stared hard at him, nonplussed. Did he just _sneer_ at me?

"W-What? I didn't hear you!" My body felt raging hot inside all of a sudden, "Speak louder!"

He brushed the dust off his shoulder and said nonchalantly. Like I never mattered.

"Don't waste my breath by repeating the same words. I shall make my move now."

I could see his bloody eyes rolling at me and scoffing at me with that stupid ugly face of his. I snatched my cheap staff from the frozen ground and charged at him with all the brute strength I had.

"You come back here! Don't run, you asshole!"

As I was going to pummel him on his head, that man turned around and grabbed me by the neck. I gagged, gasping for air.

"Insolent girl."

His icy blue eye was full of disdain that I found very hard to describe, "Who do you think you are to touch me? You're just a slut!"

He pushed me away and logged out.

He was already gone and I was all on my own. Sprawling on the cold ground.

_Slut. _

He called me a 'slut'. _He's wrong. I'm not a slut._

_Am I a slut?_

I laughed with that sense of irony and those warm tears filling up my eyes.

I covered my face with my trembling hands.

I shouldn't cry. I must be strong. How can I be this weak?

My tears were already falling like the lonely snow.

_Please forgive me, God._

O O O

Days went on like usual but I had not seen my 'pimp' friend around. It never bothered me at all because she had this circle of friends that were all fun and outgoing. She could hang out with them for days and none of them came from problematic families like mine.

At least I wouldn't bug her with my silly issues.

"Can I have a word with you, Xing Xing?"

Gong Zhu's father, who rarely left his cozy air-conditioned room, came to see me.

At the mere sight of his pointy moustache, I swore I had the shock of my lifetime.

"I've been working very hard, Boss!" I stood up immediately, "I'm always punctual and I don't take too many toilet breaks! Give me another chance! Please, Boss!"

My eyes were tired and sleepy due to my sleepless nights. I felt bad for making constant trips to the ladies to wash my face but I couldn't help it. At times, I felt that my brain was going to crack and explode.

Oh my God, some of my best clients act just like crazy wild animals!

"I wasn't going to talk about you, girl. It's my daughter!"

Boss's wrinkled face was red and frustrated. Someone was going to be in trouble.

"Gong Zhu?" I grew concerned.

"You know how stubborn my girl is! She has never listened to me but she always listens to you! Can I count on you with some stuff?"

O O O

I asked my best friend out for a meal at her favourite café. It was going to be our final dinner together. I did not want to do this but it had to be done.

I wanted the best for her.

I wanted her to have a bright future that I would never have.

A future that is brighter than the sun.

"_Jing zi li de wo hen bu xiang wo~ Zi cong ni li kai le wo bian de hen ruan ruo~"_

_("My reflection on the mirror isn't me~ Ever since you left me, I've become weak~")_

A young lady on the stage singing that sad love song. I wanted her to stop singing.

Her voice was pulling me down.

Apart.

"Hey babe!"

My cheerful friend looked normal. She slammed her big butt against the cushioned chair and placed her arm on my shoulders. Her smile was beautiful and contagious.

But I knew that she was faking it.

"Awww!" She pulled me closer towards her, "Why so quiet? Chill! Chill! My brother's not coming tonight."

"Why'd you refuse to study abroad? Is it because of me?"

Gong Zhu's smile froze.

Turning into a complete stranger, she started to let go of my shoulders. Her bright brown eyes betrayed her as they turned dull and shifted away.

Her eyes were no longer looking at me.

"Did my old man tell you?" She cursed, "Shit! I already told him not to tell you."

She's just the same like her brother. Keeping dirty little secrets behind my back.

"That's not the main issue now," I held in a deep breath.

"_Wo xiang wo ke yi xi guan yi ge ren sheng huo~ Wo xiang wo ke yi jia zhuang bu ceng ai guo~"_

_("I think I can get used to living alone~ I think I can pretend that I have never loved before~")_

I held her hands, tight and steady.

"Gong Zhu, listen to me. No matter where we are, we'll always be best friends, okay? We'll stay in touch and I'm definitely going to call you if my lousy phone doesn't run out of battery, haha…"

I knew it. My laughter sounded unnatural. Gong Zhu sensed it too.

"I don't want to leave you behind," Her shoulders started to shake.

I felt terrible for seeing her like that. Her tears were flowing out freely but she tried to rub them away.

"We've always been together, Xing Xing. What's going to happen to you when I'm gone? You're going to be all alone…"

"I'm not alone, Gong Zhu! I'm never alone at all! God's up there watching over me! In fact, He's watching over us!" I declared with as much confidence I could muster.

"We don't even know whether God's real!"

"God's real. He's real. I just know it, Gong Zhu."

To be really honest, I wasn't sure about the existence of God myself. If God was real, why'd I put up with this mess?

My life was nothing but a mess. I never wanted to drag my best friend down into hell with me.

We got to learn to let go of each other.

For now.

"I'll be fine. I can take care of myself," I pumped my fist up and broadened my smile, "I'm a superwoman!"

She hugged me. I was caught surprised. Hugging was something she had never done to me before.

"Xing Xing, my amigo! Please stay safe and eat well! Let's be great friends till our next generation! Can you promise me this? Can you?"

She cried harder and harder. I became wordless. Our next generation?

I couldn't even imagine a future where I was married and I had children.

My future was so bleak. So uncertain.

But it wouldn't hurt to dream.

Our kids being closest pals would be a lovely idea.

"I promise you, my friend."

"_Wo xiang wo ke yi xi guan yi ge ren sheng huo~ Zai ji yi li mian cha qu ni de cheng nuo~_ Ai qing shi ge meng er wo shui guo tou~"

("I believe I can get used to living alone~ I will erase your promises from my memories~ Love is a dream but I've overslept~")

That song left us all depressed and lonely. It made dislike the singer no matter how beautiful how her voice was.

"What a lovely song from Neon! Let's give her a round of applause!"

_Neon? What kind of fancy name was that?_

I narrowed my eyes at the singer. My jaw dropped open.

_Oh my goodness gracious! He's a boy? He sang like a girl!_

"Why'd you look so surprised, Barbie?" Gong Zhu asked as if everything was normal.

"Is that really a guy?" I pointed at him accusingly, "His voice sounds so funny!"

"Isn't it already obvious? He's a singing android."

"Singing android?" I'd never heard about it before.

It was a teenage boy with a mop of untidy green hair. He was unfazed by the energetic clapping crowd. His face was void of emotions. He simply looked plain bored.

"Haven't you heard? A singing robot's a robot who looks like a human and sings like us!"

My friend seemed to have forgotten she was crying her heart out a moment ago, "He can sing both voices, man and woman! Pretty cool, huh?"

"So is he a man?"

Gong Zhu winked at me slyly, "If you want to know, there's a way to find out…"

"Pervert."

"Haha, you know me so well!"

She laughed and I was so glad she did. The atmosphere was brightened up somehow. By her enthusiasm towards the singing tinman and the quirkiness of the whole situation.

"_Do you hear me~ I'm talking to you~ Across the water, across the deep blue ocean~ Under the open sky~" _

The more I listened to his male voice, the more restless I felt. I could be out of touch from the modern advancement of technology. I could call myself a cavewoman.

But I couldn't accept the normality of this. It wasn't even normal.

He easily switched his male voice back to a female's. Of course. He was a machine after all.

"_Boy, I hear you in my dreams~ I feel you whisper across the sea~ Keep you with me in my heart~ You make it easier when life gets hard~"_

"This is just so weird," I blurted out to myself.

Gong Zhu became angry for no reason. She was having an empty bottle of wine in her hand.

_Oh dearie no._

"Huh? Who are you calling weird? I'm not weird!" She was clearly drunk.

"Not you," I pointed at him again, "That guy! He's singing a duet but you need two people to sing a duet. He's just a person."

"You're talking about people but hello, he's an android! Android!"

"Okay, you win! You win!" I already got my butt up, "Let's go home now-"

"Nooooooooo!" My friend suddenly made a fuss, "I want to listen to his song!"

"Okay, okay," I had decided to be patient since it was our last reunion meal, "We'll listen. We'll listen till this song ends."

"_They don't know how long it takes~ Waiting for a love like this~ Every time we say goodbye~ I wish we had one more kiss~"_

I shook my head helplessly and turned to stare at something else. I wouldn't want to talk to my friend whenever she was all drunk and bossy.

Arguing with her would mean the end of our relationship and I'd never wanted it to end.

"_I'll wait for you~ I promise you~"_

Then something caught my eye. It shouldn't have caught my eye. If I didn't see it, the worst wouldn't have happened at all.

Someone at the table across us was having her hand hidden underneath a jet black coat. She was dressed in dark. Dressed to _kill_. Her sun-glassed eyes were concentrating on Neon the android.

Everyone had his or her eyes on the singer but her face looked very intense.

I could tell that she was up to no good.

The next thing was she just stood up. As she was taking out her weapon, I shouted my lungs out at her.

"HEY YOU! PUT THAT GUN DOWN!"

She pointed her gun towards me. My mind turned blank.

I should have died.

I was the one who should have taken that bullet.

"XING XING, MOVE!"

A loud shot pierced the air. Someone dropped onto the ground.

I looked down.

My friend. My precious friend. My only friend.

That was our last meal together.

_We didn't even get to say goodbye._

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Songs sang in the story but I never own them:**

**\- Living Alone by Freya Lin**

**\- Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat**


	4. Chapter 3 - Miracle of Life

**Hello! Here's another chapter of Miss Money. If you're still reading this story, thanks and happy reading! :)**

* * *

Chapter 3 – Miracle of Life

I never like black. Black is the epitome of funeral.

And I had to wear black on that fateful day.

The day of my best friend's funeral.

I couldn't shed a tear. I simply couldn't, even if I felt it was very appropriate to do so.

Shedding tears would mean saying goodbye. I never wanted to say goodbye to her.

_How could I?_

"Eat, Xing Xing. My girl wouldn't want to see you like this."

I looked blankly at the bowl of fried soy sauce noodles held by a wrinkled hand. Its fragrant aroma filled my nostrils but it never tempted me. I shook my head and strained a thankful smile at him.

"I'm not hungry, Boss."

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"

Boss went on a senseless rampage.

He violently threw the porcelain bowl against the wall and continued shouting at his only son and me.

"Dong Hai's not eating! You're not eating! What do you all want to become? Dead like my daughter? Hah? Is she going to be happy seeing you like this? HAH?"

Dong Hai, Gong Zhu's elder brother remained motionless on his chair.

Dong Hai and I had never spoken to each other since we met at the hospital. All he ever did when we arrived at the funeral was gazing at the plain grey ground. As though he could see his sister's face there.

"Can you stop torturing my big bro?" I still remembered Gong Zhu's annoying question like it was yesterday, "Why don't you give him a chance?"

"He's not rich," I was being frank.

"Well, at least he's rich with _moral values_. Can't you even marry him for me? It's going to be awesome if we could be sisters!"

I thought hard. I wanted to swallow it down but I couldn't.

I'd just lost my _sister_.

I bit my bottom lip, trying hard to swallow back my tears. I breathed in but I still failed. I felt like a total failure.

I failed to protect my friend. My one and only friend.

My tears fell down and started to trickle down my cheeks. Endlessly.

"Dad! Look at what you've done!" Dong Hai's high-pitched voice shook the silent prayer hall, "You've made her cry!"

Gong Zhu's father threw another piece of bowl at the dark-skinned police officer. The son quickly ducked down and it hit the hard wall. The china shattered into many pieces.

"You useless son! Now you're talking when your girlfriend's crying, hah? I told you to go after that one bloody hell _murderer _but all you did was sitting there and doing nothing! She was shot down like a rabbit but you're right there doing nothing! My girl's dead! My beloved daughter…"

Boss finally broke down.

That broken man stared at Gong Zhu's smiling photo. Her beautiful smile brightened further with the joss sticks burning softly on the table. She had her old man's wide lips.

"She's dead…" Boss's deep voice cracked, "I can't believe that she's dead… She was just right there beside me and now she's gone…"

"I-I-I'm sorry… This is all my fault, Boss…" I wished I would be the one lying in the coffin, "I'm so sorry…"

"Don't say that. Never ever say that again, Xing Xing. It's never your fault. It's that _asshole_."

As Dong Hai spoke those words, I saw that deadly glint in his eye. I would remember it for life.

I'd never seen him like that before.

"I swear on my life…" He spoke almost like an unbreakable promise, "If I see her, I'm going to skin her alive!"

"If you've managed to find and kill her, will it bring Gong Zhu back to life?" I asked lifelessly.

His murderous face softened and sighed, "I guess not."

_Guess?_

_You don't need to guess. It's_ a fact that she's not revivable.

"It's freaking late now," Boss rubbed the tears gruffly from his wrinkled face, "Dong Hai, take Xing Xing home now."

"No!" I insisted, "I'm going to stay here with you-"

"No, no, we can't let you stay vigil tonight," Boss tossed his car keys to his son, "You need your beauty sleep or else, don't you blame me if you'll turn into an old spinster!"

"Don't you worry, Dad. She's going to be my woman tonight."

Dong Hai grinned. There was that annoying gap in the middle of his teeth. I smacked him on the ugly face and surprisingly, he never dodged.

"Do you want me to _slap_ you again?" I dared him.

"Welcome back, my dear Xing Xing!" Dong Hai laughed although his nose was already reddish, "Now you're OK!"

Weird guy. He was all down and depressed but he suddenly acted like a red-nosed clown. What a fool.

"I'm always OK!" I felt somewhat uneasy inside.

"Cool," He looked relieved, "Wait obediently for me at the door. Let me go get my car."

"Make it quick! You know how much I hate waiting."

"Aye aye, Captain!"

I watched him dashing away towards the parking lot.

I'd begun to see him in a different light. It made me more nervous. I wouldn't want to fall in love with anyone at the moment. It wasn't the right time. So many things had happened and our worlds were just turned upside down in a blink of an eye. I shouldn't complicate things further.

Furthermore, I wasn't even sure whether Dong Hai was the right person for me.

Before heading for the exit door, I went to pay my final respects to Gong Zhu for the day.

I looked hard at her photo. It was a happy _selfie_ that she took on her own. She wanted to take one with me but I refused. I hated taking photos. I would always feel that I looked very horrendous in all the photos I'd taken no matter what poses or angles I had used. I was anything but photogenic.

_I would take many photos with you, Gong Zhu. _

_Perhaps in our next lifetime._

"_I'm afraid there's not enough time~ I want to hold you~ Till your wrinkles have signs of aging~"_

That melodious voice came out of nowhere. I prayed harder.

_Buddha, please, please bless me!_

I can't be hearing ghosts now, can I?

"_I have to watch you even if I can't move~ Until I feel that your hair has hints of white snow~ Until my eyesight becomes blurry~"_

That wasn't a ghost. I turned behind.

I was stunned at what I saw.

It didn't make sense.

Why'd he come all the way to this sad place?

"_If I can give up this world~ At least there's you who I can still treasure~ And you are there~ That is the miracle of life~"_

I was dumbfounded.

That teenage robot kept singing but he never stated his intention of coming here. I felt guilty for interrupting but it wouldn't hurt to offend his feelings. He never had any feelings anyway.

"Ah, what's your name again? Neo? Lion? Who'd sent you here?"

"_I'm afraid that time passes too quickly~ Not enough time to see you clearly~ I'm afraid that time will pass too slowly~ Always worried that I'll lose you~"_

"Thank you so much for your touching song but you can stop singing now-"

"_We'll never be apart~ If I can give up this world~" _

I sighed. I officially gave up.

If someone had sent him an instruction to come here and start a mini-concert, no one would be able to stop him. Not even me.

"You must have lost your way, Lion. I'll bring you back home."

Whatever his name was, I called him 'Lion'. I'd always liked the actual beast too.

I grabbed him by his arm and pulled him towards the door. I didn't like touching him. His skin felt very cold. It felt like plastic. Why couldn't they make his skin as soft as a baby's buttock? _Cheapskate_.

"My dear Xing Xing, where are you?" Dong Hai rushed in like a maniac on fire, "I've been waiting for you! Why are you still-"

"Sorry, Dong Hai! I almost forgot about you!" I pointed straight at the boyish-faced robot, "Can you bring him home first? This poor guy's lost his sense of direction."

Dong Hai's whole expression changed at the sight of the android. I'd forgotten that Lion played a major part for the tragedy to happen.

"If it wasn't for you, my sister wouldn't have _died_!" Dong Hai burst into red fiery flames of death, "Do you want me to bring you straight to _hell_?"

I couldn't care less about that crazy cop. He was acting like a simple-minded kid.

"Don't worry about that mad chimpanzee," I patted on Lion's shoulder, "He's going to bring us home. Where do you stay?"

"_Well, I'm going home~ Back to the place where I belong~ And where your love has always been enough for me~"_

Dong Hai and I were speechless at his song. We came to a mutual understanding.

_His owner must have abandoned him. What an irritating radio._

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Songs used:**

**At Least I Still Have You by Sandy Lam**

**Home by Daughtry**


End file.
